Day 86 The Ultimate USA road trip Davenport Platteville
This route was brought to you by:
RouteXpert René Plücken (MRA Master)
Last edit: 21-10-2023
Route Summary I have further supplemented the Road Trip with even more special points that you can visit in the USA. Today we drive from Davenport Iowa through Illinois to Platteville Wisconsin. It is a short drive of almost 210 kilometers, with a number of beautiful stops.
We drive on beautiful provincial roads along the course of the Mississippi. There are stops at museums and a number of photo stops planned, I rate this route 4 stars.
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Animation
Verdict
Duration
8h 39m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
207.86 km
Countries
RouteXpert Review We cross the Iowa-Illinois state line via the Government Bridge (or Arsenal Bridge), which spans the Mississippi River and connects Rock Island, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa. The Iowa Interstate Railroad uses the bridge's upper deck for its former Chicago and Rock Island Railroad route between Council Bluffs, Iowa and Chicago, Illinois. The lower deck carries car traffic between the two cities.
On the other side of the Mississippi we stop briefly at the remains of Fort Armstrong (1816-1836). The Fort was part of a chain of western border defenses that the United States established after the War of 1812. It is located at the foot of Rock Island, in the Mississippi River. Construction of the stone and wooden fort began in May 1816 and was completed in 1817. In 1832, the U.S. Army used the fort as a military headquarters during the Black Hawk War and abandoned the frontier fort in 1836.
After the security check at the Rock Island gate we visit the Rock Island Arsenal Museum, the second oldest museum of the US Army that opened to the public on July 4, 1905. The museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving and interpreting the history of Rock Island Arsenal and Arsenal Island. The exhibits tell the story of how diverse people, innovative manufacturing processes and the production of cutting-edge military equipment have shaped the island's past, present and future. Opening hours 10am - 4pm. Entrance is free.
We drive along the Mississippi, which also forms the border between the states of Iowa and Illinois, and cross it a few times via beautiful historic bridges. We have lunch in Bellevue, a beautiful town on the banks of the Mississippi. Here is also one of the many dams and locks in the river.
After lunch we visit Crystal Lake Cave, a popular tourist attraction in Dubuque, Iowa. It is a natural limestone cave known for its beautiful underground formations and unique geological features. The cave was formed millions of years ago by the slow dissolution of limestone by groundwater. Over time, this process created an intricate network of passageways, chambers, stalactites and stalagmites, making it an interesting underground destination. The cave was discovered by miners in the late 19th century and has been a tourist attraction since the early 20th century.
It is known for its unique and delicate stalactites, stalagmites, helictites (twisted formations) and other cave formations. These formations are illuminated to emphasize their beauty during tours.
Hiking enthusiasts can plan a stop at the Horseshoe Bluff Trailhead. This 0.9 mile loop route near Dubuque is considered a moderately challenging route; it takes about 22 minutes to complete. This is a popular route for bird watching, hiking and in winter for cross-country skiing. There is a lookout point with a beautiful view of the Horseshoe trail.
We leave Illinois and drive into Wisconsin where we visit the Mining and Rollo Jamison Museum in Platteville. Here you can visit the 1845 Bevans Lead-Zinc Mine and, if weather permits, take a ride on a 1931 mine train. In the museum you will discover the local history of the Upper Mississippi Valley Mining District. There is a museum shop where you can buy rocks and minerals and gifts related to the regional history. Enjoy the green outdoor space, the gardens and the picnic areas. There are beautiful exhibitions about the nature, culture and history of the region.
We spend the night in Platteville, a small town with less than 12,000 inhabitants but many cozy bars and good restaurants. Platteville has been named one of the best places to live in Wisconsin.
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Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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Iowa
About this region
Iowa is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the east and southeast, Missouri to the south, Nebraska to the west, South Dakota to the northwest, and Minnesota to the north.
During the 18th and early 19th centuries, Iowa was a part of French Louisiana and Spanish Louisiana; its state flag is patterned after the flag of France. After the Louisiana Purchase, people laid the foundation for an agriculture-based economy in the heart of the Corn Belt. In the latter half of the 20th century, Iowa's agricultural economy transitioned to a diversified economy of advanced manufacturing, processing, financial services, information technology, biotechnology, and green energy production.Iowa is the 26th most extensive in total area and the 31st most populous of the 50 U.S. states with a population of 3,190,369 according to the 2020 census. The state's capital, most populous city, and largest metropolitan area fully located within the state is Des Moines. A portion of the larger Omaha, Nebraska, metropolitan area extends into three counties of southwest Iowa. Iowa has been listed as one of the safest U.S. states in which to live.
Read more on Wikipedia
During the 18th and early 19th centuries, Iowa was a part of French Louisiana and Spanish Louisiana; its state flag is patterned after the flag of France. After the Louisiana Purchase, people laid the foundation for an agriculture-based economy in the heart of the Corn Belt. In the latter half of the 20th century, Iowa's agricultural economy transitioned to a diversified economy of advanced manufacturing, processing, financial services, information technology, biotechnology, and green energy production.Iowa is the 26th most extensive in total area and the 31st most populous of the 50 U.S. states with a population of 3,190,369 according to the 2020 census. The state's capital, most populous city, and largest metropolitan area fully located within the state is Des Moines. A portion of the larger Omaha, Nebraska, metropolitan area extends into three counties of southwest Iowa. Iowa has been listed as one of the safest U.S. states in which to live.
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4Amount of RX reviews (Iowa)
370Amount of visitors (Iowa)
15Amount of downloads (Iowa)
Route Collections in this region Ultimate USA road trip part 09
Michel van Hagen challenged me to follow the Roadtrip of Dr. Randy Olsen as a basis to create the Ultimate USA Road Trip for the MyRoute app RouteXpert Library. I took up that challenge and started in February 2022.
The scientist Dr. Randy Olsen, who became known for using his knowledge of algorithms to find 'Waldo' in the well-known American 'Where's Waldo' book series, has been challenged by Tracy Staedter, from Discovery News, to use the same algorithm to create the perfect Road Trip by creating the US, which will visit almost every state in the US. Alaska and Hawaii are not included in this Road Trip due to their geographical location.
The following three requirements formed the basis of the route: In all 48 countries there must be at least one stop at famous points, monuments, historical sites, national parks, etc. I have added additional interesting points, beautiful tours and routes.
After more than 26 months, the job is finished and, with a lot of support from Nick Carthew, I have created 129 routes that run through the 48 states of the USA and part of Canada. This is the ninth collection that takes you from Springfield in ten days through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Wisconsin to Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
The scientist Dr. Randy Olsen, who became known for using his knowledge of algorithms to find 'Waldo' in the well-known American 'Where's Waldo' book series, has been challenged by Tracy Staedter, from Discovery News, to use the same algorithm to create the perfect Road Trip by creating the US, which will visit almost every state in the US. Alaska and Hawaii are not included in this Road Trip due to their geographical location.
The following three requirements formed the basis of the route: In all 48 countries there must be at least one stop at famous points, monuments, historical sites, national parks, etc. I have added additional interesting points, beautiful tours and routes.
After more than 26 months, the job is finished and, with a lot of support from Nick Carthew, I have created 129 routes that run through the 48 states of the USA and part of Canada. This is the ninth collection that takes you from Springfield in ten days through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Wisconsin to Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
View Route Collection